


a taskmaster of his own making

by Spokane



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Gratuitous Last Shot references, House husband Ben, Pregnancy, domestic flangst, droid tinkerer extraordinaire Rey, unborn Solo bean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-05-15
Packaged: 2019-05-07 14:54:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14673447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spokane/pseuds/Spokane
Summary: Rey has very different opinions on droids than Ben, and for good reason. As they anxiously await the changes to come, they'll both have to deal with it in their own way.Flash Fiction Prompt #9: Droids





	a taskmaster of his own making

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to do a little thing for mother’s day weekend and the two-halves-of-reylo weekly challenge prompt: Droids. Ties in with "Awakened". 
> 
> More fluff- 10/10 would recommend proper dental hygiene after consumption.

For someone who’d spent most of her life waiting for a family, it was somewhat ironic that she was now more restless than she’d ever been.

Rey found herself pacing again, though with the addition of her daughter heavy inside her it was a bit more of a waddle than she’d care to admit. Things were about to become  _very real_ in just a few weeks, both with the new temple plans and her new family life.

Rey tried to use her excitement and nervous energy by keeping herself busy, and with the ever expanding temple and new order plans that was hardly difficult. Unfortunately, more often than not her afternoons involved heavy use of the datapad and its expansive stored archives, leaving her with little time spend in her meditation garden which also needed tending.

However, with her daughter’s due date mere weeks away, hunching over in the dirt was hardly an easy task these days. Which was yet another aspect of this waiting game that would decidedly not be missed. Ben had been doing more and more work in it for her, and she found that to be the strangest duality of them all.

Watching her broody husband, once a formidable intergalactic terror bent over in the dirt, sweating buckets in the humidity while stubbornly pruning had been quite a sight. But a more and more common one as the weeks went by.

Ben seemed to be channeling his inner turmoil into a flurry of domestic chores, many of which she found to be almost archaic given the modern capabilities of droids at the galaxy‘s disposal.

Rey never had the opportunity to have menial tasks done for her before, but was more than content to feel the satisfaction and relaxation that ebbed from Ben while he focused on his work. She knew how much he loved taking care of her, though he occasionally went overboard with it, especially now that Rey was carrying the future of their little family.

“Are these manak leaves still good?” Ben’s voice sounded from rooms away, over the clattering din of him meticulously preparing their dinner for the night. By the smell and sound of it-sahbiye with fresh collypod meat, involving lots of chopping.

“They should be, I picked them just 3 days ago.” Rey answered while stooping to consider the recently blossomed sanctuary tree, now a fixture in the little nursery.

Ben always shooed her away from the kitchen when she tried to help him, claiming she should rest more or meditate.  Really, a droid could just as well prepare dinner, or at the very least help Ben do it, and the laundry- and the great number of other things Ben had taken control over doing of late. It made good sense to her, seeing as they would soon have little time for such domestic bliss, and Rey quite liked the class III droids. She found there was something special about programming for human service that added a degree of infinite complexity to their circuitry. Though she’d never owned one in her life, and getting one now would still give her plenty of time to tinker with it before it was needed.

“I’ve been thinking, maybe we should bring on some extra help for when the baby comes.” Rey smiled down at herself, very much looking forward to some good old-fashioned tinkering.

The clattering in the kitchen suddenly stopped, as if Ben had gone completely still.

“Like a droid?” Ben’s voice was a bitten growl, sounding nearly hurt.

“I-well,” She hadn’t prepared for that reaction from him, not over such a mundane issue. “Yes, like a droid.”

Despite having witnessed Kylo Ren in battle numerous times and knowing better than most what this man was capable of, Rey still hadn’t been prepared to hear the knife hit the roo-wood cutting board with such force. The resounding thunk and swell of anger in the force was her cue that something wasn’t quite right.

“There’s no need. I like doing this myself.”

Rey couldn’t see him from her current position, but she just knew his expression. His strong chin set tight with gritted teeth, fists clenching- digging into his skin or whatever object he may be holding at the time.

She thought she heard something crack, and decided that this was not a discussion she needed to push now. His once infamous outbursts had mostly become something of the past, but this evening the threat loomed inexplicably close. Perhaps this would be better discussed later.

                                                        -                                                          

Later came while they were seated at the table, and Rey was already on her second plate of succulent collypod sahbiye. Ben was taking his time, far more interested in watching her eat. She already knew his mood, content with having done this right- knowing he made the food and she _liked_ it. It happened every time he cooked or otherwise doted on her.

“Ben?” Rey paused between mouthfuls.

“Mm.” Less a response and more a grunt between bites, but his dark eyes attentively settled on her.

“So why don’t you want a household unit of some sort? It could really help with the-”

“It’s not complex, I just don’t have any need for one.” He deadpans at her, but appeared to be unconsciously clenching his fists into a vice grip just the same.

“Sure. You just bent your spoon.” She deadpanned right back to him, gesturing towards his balled fist.

Ben looks at his hand to consider the ruined cutlery for a moment, as if he were just as taken aback by the action as she was.

“I don’t want to talk about this now.” His expression darkened further as he set it down and pushed his plate away. The trauma she’d unearthed inside him had apparently also chased away his appetite.

“Whatever it is that you’re not- Wait a minute, that was  _my_ spoon! That’s the one I’d always use for my caf and cream.” She raised up slightly to point accusingly across the table.

“Back when I could have caf, anyways.” Rey idly reminisced in a huff.

Slumping back into her seat, the weight of her stomach made it somewhat difficult to maintain proper posture. Ben always had impeccable posture when eating, which Rey had taken to mirroring as they took their meals together.

“…Caf.” Ben mumbles, scarcely audible. He looked if he wasn’t completely there, his gaze fixed on a dark whorl in the wood of the table.

“What was that?” Rey was still peeved about the ruining of her favorite spoon- utensils were precious to her even now.

“Nothing.”

“Right, then. If you don’t want to tell me what’s going on with this, then _fine_.” Rey knocked her palms against the table in annoyance, running a bit shorter on patience lately than was typical.

“Am I not taking care of you well enough?” Ben asks in a sudden rush.

There was no trace of accusation or malice in Ben’s voice, just heavy emotion betraying that this was a legitimate concern of his. As if he was already disappointed in himself.

“Of course you are Ben, you’re doing a perfect job of it. Force knows I can’t keep up with everything these days. But once she’s here we might need some help.”

“I will not idly sit back and let our child be raised by droids! I won’t do it, Rey.” In his outburst he slams his hands into the table causing the assorted cutlery to rattle dangerously, but controlled enough not to damage it she notes. He really is trying to rein himself in, even now.

“Is that was this is about then? You think I would want that?” She has a right mind to be angry with him, that he would ever assume such a ludicrous thing.

“It’s just that maybe-” Something works in his throat as he swallows his next few words. He couldn’t bring himself to meet her gaze. “Maybe if they’d been there things would’ve gone differently.”

“Your parents  _loved_  you.” Now Rey was also close to tears as she defensively wrapped her arms around herself, feeling her daughter kick and roll with the sudden swell of emotion saturating the force.

As if Ben could sense the upset they were causing the little life within, he seemed to calm rapidly. Approaching Rey’s chair he kneeled with a heavy sigh and reached up to press his hands against the swell of her middle, a wordless gesture of adoration and forgiveness.

“I know that. I  _knew_ that. But simply knowing it wasn’t enough, I needed more than what they could give me.”

He buried his face into the now taut fabric of her ‘last blasted shirt that fits’, feeling his baby girl settle under his touch.

Rey gusted a sigh while shaking her head.

“Did you think I meant a full service nanny droid or something? You should know me better than that, Ben. You know what having a family means to me.” She threaded her fingers into his thick black tresses, lightly pulling him back to meet her eyes.

“I just wanted something to help you around the house and temple once she’s here, so we can spend as much time with her as possible.”

It wasn’t herself or the temple she was worried about; it was Ben- who seemed to still carry the galaxy on his shoulders. So much was changing so quickly and she wanted to make sure he still had time to find peace and balance in the crowded days to come.

“But I like doing this. Being useful, feeling like I’m doing something right. I like taking care of you, and her.” He offers her a rueful smile, the only thing left for him to do after his emotions brought him to his knees before her yet again.

“You can still take care of me with a little extra help around the house.” Rey smiled and cradled his face, hands running along the slight stubble of his jaw.

Ben sighed heavily, apparently considering her offer. “ _Alright_ , I’ll think about it. Just no culinary droids.”

“No culinary droids.” She repeats and lets it rest.

 -

 

Hours later once they were tucked away between soft sheets and a gentle breeze flowing through the temple she decides to press him just one more time. But before she can even form the question he’s already there, in typical Ben Solo fashion.

“My first experience with the darkness; I can barely remember it. All I can remember is that I was about to die. There was just this feeling; a darkness surrounding something- a droid I think.” His voice a low murmur in the dim haze of the bedroom.

“How old were you?” Rey inquired without missing a beat.

“I must have been young, very young.”

“You’re sure it was a droid that you saw?” Rey hefted herself over to face him.

“Yeah, some quirky scrapheap of a class three septoid. I still struggle to believe it was capable of such sinister motives, but then again-”

Rey already knew where his mind had gone back to, seeing Luke’s face in a flash of moonlight. She’d seen it before, after all. To Ben, anything he trusted had the ability to turn on him so she didn’t find it unreasonable for him to assume an innocuous droid had attempted to murder him in some obscure memory.

“The force around it always maintained that usual neutral droid buzz. But for just the briefest moment, it went dark.” He ruminates, his brow deeply creased.

“Sounds like it could’ve been a system glitch, bad programming.” She spoke softly as she rested her cheek against his shoulder.

“Yes- but you have to understand, later  _he_  came from that darkness; the same darkness I saw that day.” Ben’s darkened gaze was heavy enough to pull stars from orbit.

Rey hesitated for a moment, before nodding in understanding. She knew a singular droid wasn’t responsible for his fall, but rather may have opened a channel in his young developing mind. But with that Rey also understood that there was a natural darkness in the force, one she felt everyday and hoped to help her daughter understand one day too.

“For all I know it wasn’t even real,” Ben’s hands reached out to protectively stroke her abdomen as he was wont to do these past months. “But she is going to be vulnerable to everything, Rey. The Skywalker legacy- I’ve put too much of a burden on her already.”

“Now Ben,” She tries to chose her words carefully, she cups his face in her hand. They’d talked about this before, and she couldn’t fix it. He’d have to wrestle with his own legacy, Rey couldn’t do it for him even if she wanted to.

“I can’t promise you that our child will never feel darkness within the force- droid glitches notwithstanding. But, I can promise you that after I’m done tinkering nothing will ever override my programming.” She resolved, serious as could be.

Ben looked incredulous for a moment, and gave a rough snort. He shook his head before unleashing a full throated laugh while curling his body around her. Every time he laughed with that grin on his face reminded Rey how much she loved it, and how much of his father’s heart was still beating within him. Ben eventually sobered, giving the prospect real consideration.

“I still don’t want a kitchen droid.” Ben reaffirmed. “But, maybe something to care for the garden, perhaps the laundry too. Honestly, I can’t say I derive too much satisfaction cleaning the grease from your arm wraps on a weekly basis.”

“Oh bah, the First Order had you spoiled.” Rey grins wildly and pushes her nose against his collar.

“So no culinary programing- and if the thing gets in my way or _ever_ bothers the baby, so help me I’ll obliterate it.” His tone turned gravely severe once more.

Now it was Rey’s turn to laugh, a short burst that echoed off the walls and receded into a melodious giggle. Finally, she took a deep breath and rested her hands on her belly, the child within responding with an exited flutter against her palm.

“Alright then,” Her soft eyes were still crinkled with the force of her grin as she spoke. “Deal.”


End file.
